Thursday, August 30, 2012

It’s 2012: Election Time Again?! WTFC (What the Fried Chicken!?)


Obama ~ Biden 2012
Romney ~ Paul 2012
Oprah ~ Gale 2012
Yoda ~ Obi Wan 2012
Chunk ~ Sloth 2012
Katniss ~ Peeta 2012
Snooki ~ Jwoww 2012
Sookie ~ Bill Eric 2012




It doesn’t matter which way you are leaning, because like it or not it’s election time again!

These times fire us up! They get us thinking about all those issues that we hold so dear to our hearts! Things that we stand behind… and also those things we stand against. They rile up our blood and show us our greatness and also our flaws. These times shine a light on how we can stand together and unite as Americans… one nation… under God… but they also shine a light on our shortsightedness… on our prejudices and our bigotry. It’s interesting to watch unfold. It’s beautiful and horrible. It can make you proud to be an American in one moment and in the next, it can take your breath away with our hatefulness.

We are a beautiful mess.

But that is what makes us great. That people from all over the world, that speak many languages, that have many faiths, can come together under a single flag…

We belong to all sorts of parties:


Republican Party
Democratic Party
Libertarian Party
Green Party
Socialist Party
Constitution Party
Tea Party
Cocktail Party
Dinner Party
Keg Party (my husband’s favorite)


We bicker, we create, we grow, we fight, we vote, and we love this beautiful mess that is us.

It’s an amazing dream. The dream of our country’s founders, the dream of Martin Luther King, Jr., the dream we have for our future.

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” – Declaration of Independence

“And when this happens, when we allow freedom ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual: Free at last! Free at last! Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!” – Martin Luther King, Jr.

And we are free! And we are amazing… as messed up as we sometimes seem, remember that even with all our wrinkles, our arguments, our craziness, we are still awesome because we were made, and continue to be made, by all the amazing cultures, religions, races, languages, beliefs, creeds, philosophies the world over.

It almost makes you want to jump up and down… okay… go do it… jump and dance… sometimes it overwhelms me. The wonder of it… the wonder of America. It is no wonder so many people come here every year. My mother from England in the 70s. My husband from Guatemala in the 80s.

Go ahead and own it… this crazy beautiful mess… is awesome.

Peace,

True

If you get a chance, check out my new novel: Finding Faith. It’s available at online bookstores like Amazon, and Barnes and Nobles now. It is an expression of my love for this beautiful crazy mess… America.


Monday, August 13, 2012

But for the grace of God...


Some days... some weeks... months... years... are hard.

Just pray... and know that you are not alone. I love this poem... sometimes it helps just to read it...



FOOTPRINTS IN THE SAND

One night I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord.
Many scenes from my life flashed across the sky.
In each scene I noticed footprints in the sand.
Sometimes there were two sets of footprints.
Other times there were one set of footprints.
This bothered me because I noticed that during the low periods of my life
When I was suffering from anguish, sorrow, or defeat,
I could see only one set of footprints.
So I said to the Lord, "You promised me, Lord,
That if I followed you, you would walk with me always.
But I noticed that during the most trying periods of my life
There have only been one set of prints in the sand.
Why, When I have needed you most, you have not been there for me?"
The Lord replied,
"The times when you have seen only one set of footprints
Is when I carried you." - Mary Stevenson


Whatever you might be going through... hang in there.

True